King couldn’t stick with ‘crazy’ Mustaine

Kerry says he only played with Megadeth for Slayer

Slayer guitarist Kerry King says he only played with Megadeth in their early days for the good of his own band.

And he’s surprised that anyone could manage to work with “crazy” Dave Mustaine for long.

King took part in Megadeth’s first five shows in 1983 after Mustaine formed the band following his firing from Metallica.

He tells Loudwire: “I thought, ‘This is a gigantic learning situation’ – and I also thought people would see me and it would at least make them think, ‘Slayer.’ So I had Slayer’s best intentions in mind.”

King continues: “He was cooler back then. I think there’s been a lot of drugs and extracurriculars between now and then.

“His stuff is – I wouldn’t say ‘intricate’ because we’ve got intricate parts too. He writes riffs in a very different perspective. I wouldn’t do it. It’s just not my style.”

He describes seeing Mustaine in Metallica as a great experience. “He was just ripping on guitar, and looking out that way somewhere. I can’t do that to this fucking day. I was just blown away.”

But he adds: “I don’t know how anybody can be in Megadeth for more than a couple of hours, because that guy’s crazy.”